The Transgen Rouge!
by Brin
Summary: What do you get when you cross the Moulin Rouge, Dark Angel, and way too sugar? Why, the Transgen Rouge of course! MA with Logan bashing it's all in good fun, though. I love Logan.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that appear on the hit syndicated TV show, Dark Angel, owned and created by James Cameron, nor do I own the lyrics that appear in this work of fiction created for pure entertainment. The original characters and part of the storyline, however, are strictly mine.

A/N: It's two in the morning and I was watching Moulin Rouge. This is the result.

Summary: AU. What do you get when you combine Dark Angel, Moulin Rouge, and too much sugar? Why, the Transgen Rouge of course!

The Transgen Rouge! 

By

Brin 

"Love is just a game," –Nicole Kidman, "Moulin Rouge"

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Prologue 

There was a boy 

_A very strange, enchanted boy_

_They say he wandered very far, very far_

_Over land and sea_

_A little shy and sad of eye_

_But very wise was he_

_And then one day, one magic day_

_He passed my way_

_And while we spoke of many things_

_Fools and kings_

_This he said to me_

_'The greatest thing you'll ever learn_

Is just to love… and be loved in return' 

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but it did. I fell in love… and I was blinded by my love. I sit here where she left me, staring at the wall as my heart aches for her presence again. The ones closest to me warned against coming here.

"_A city of MISERY!' _they said._ 'You will waste your life there! Penniless! Worthless! Loveless!_"

Two out of three isn't bad… for I have not been loveless. I have felt love in this 'city of sin'… from the most unlikely place, as well.

My computer glares at me from across the room, taunting me. My hands, the hands holding the liquor bottle that has long been emptied, ache to type the words my heart is speaking with every beat. The keyboard is old; the letters worn and faded from overuse and abuse. Is there really a difference?

The floorboards creak underneath my bare feet as I walk over and run my hand along the screen. I switch it on and wait for it to load. Then, I bring up a blank document and gaze at the keyboard for a long while… and, finally, begin to type. The words flow effortlessly from my hands like a pianist and his music. The rhythmic sound of typing soothes my churning soul and helps my broken, shattered heart.

'The Transgen Rouge… a nightclub, a dance hall, and a bordello. Ruled over by Normal Reagan. A kingdom of nighttime pleasures. Where the rich and powerful came to play with the young and beautiful creatures of the underworld. They were called the Nymphs. And the most beautiful of all these was the woman I loved, Maxine, a courtesan. She sold her love to men. They called her the Dark Angel, and she was the star… of the Transgen Rouge.

'I first came to San Diego one year ago. It was the Manticorian Revolution and I traveled from Seattle to be a part of it. On a hill near San Diego was the small, isolated area called Le Diable. "The Devil." It was not as my friends had said.'

"A VILLAGE OF MISERY!" 

'It was the center of the Manticorian world with anomalies, transhumans, Xs, and special units. They were known as the "Children of the Future." Yes, I had come to live a penniless existence. I had come to write—about the revival of truth, beauty, freedom, and that which I believe in above all things… love.'

Here I stop and stare at the last word for a small eternity.

Love.

It is the most mysterious word in any language. What is love? It is material? Is it an idea? Can you see love? Can you touch love? Who came up with the concept of love? How do we even know it exists?

I hold my head in my hands and take a deep, calming breath. Tears drip from my eyes and down my face to disappear in my scraggily, unshaven beard. Quiet sobs escape my dry, cracked lips and I take a moment to compose myself before slowly typing:

'The best thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.'

And so my story begins.

TBC…

How's that for a prologue? DON'T WORRY! Will NOT be carbon copy of the movie!


	2. The Blue Lady

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: This chapter is meant to be read at a very fast, rhythmic pace. It's written in a slightly different style than my other stories.

Summary: On the brink of the Manticorian Revolution, a young, idealistic man travels to the city that is the center of the Revolution, Le Diable, or The Devil. There he finds himself swept into the underworldly nightclub called the Transgen Rouge and the in the eye of the Rouge's most beautiful and stunning dancer, the Dark Cherub.

The Transgen Rouge! 

By

Brin 

"Luckily, at that moment, an unconscious Argentinean fell through my roof. He was quickly joined by a dwarf dressed as a nun." –Ewan McGregor, "Moulin Rouge"

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Chapter 1: The Blue Lady

Alec Montra sat at his laptop, in his broken-down, crumbling apartment building, trying to write about the philosophies of the Manticorian Revolution—the revival of truth, beauty, freedom, and above all things love. The only problem was he had never been in love.

Luckily, after nearly two hours of sitting there like a child trying to tie his shoes without realizing he was wearing sandals, an unconscious Puerto Rican crashed through his window and landed on the floor in a cloud of dust. The Puerto Rican was soon joined by a giant dog-man dressed like a cat, who jumped through the window.

"Krit!" said the giant dog-man, running over to the unconscious Puerto Rican and paying no attention whatsoever to Alec.

The unconscious Puerto Rican, whom the giant dog-man had called Krit, was now conscious and looked a bit bedraggled. Krit sat up and rubbed his head.

It was then that Alec realized he was looking at what he assumed to be an X-series and an anomaly. What luck! He quickly tried to start conversation.

"So… big guy… can I see your teeth?" he asked, though even to himself he sounded like a blundering idiot.

The dog-man looked at him for a moment, then shook his massive head and began to remove the harness around the presumed X-series waist.

"May I ask why you have decided to randomly come crashing through my window?" continued Alec, trying to look intimidating by puffing out his chest and crossing his arms. Truth was, he was terrified. Word was that the Children of the Future had superhuman powers and were sometimes aggressive creatures—but the risk was a disregarded one, for most everyone who was young and adventurous wanted to be a part of the Manticorian Revolution.

Once again the giant dog-man looked up at Alec. This time he stood, towering at least eight feet, and said, "We were practicing."

"Practicing what?"

"The play for the Transgen Rouge."

You see, the Puerto Rican named Krit had been practicing a move in which he was supposed to climb a greased pole with his bare hands—don't ask why, he just was—when he forgot that he had recently put lotion onto his hands. The combination was tragic, and whomever was supposed to have been holding the harness at the time… wasn't. Krit fell out the window and his harness caught onto something, causing him to swing back through Alec's window.

Alec was momentarily taken off-guard by the mention of the Transgen Rouge.

_"You will waste your life in the arms of a Nymphl at the Transgen Rouge!" _they had said.

"Why…why would the Transgen Rouge need a play?" asked Alec, his voice breaking with nervousness mid-sentence.

"A possible new investor, the Governor, is coming to see whether or not the Transgen Rouge is worth his money. The Governor is a very rich man, and his money would keep the Transgen Rouge running for years!" exclaimed Krit, who was suddenly very awake despite his tragic fall through Alec's window. "We are in charge of making up a play that will impress him!"

Just then, another person appear in Alec's doorway—this time a rather butch blonde wearing scanty clothes. She had her hands on her hips and she kept smacking her bright red lips like a puffer fish.

"That's it!" SMACK-SMACK "I can't work with you anymore!" she said. "MEN!" SMACK-SMACK.

And with that, the butch blonde turned and stomped away, managing to run into the doorframe on her way out.

"Kendra! Wait!" cried the giant dog-man, whose name was as of yet not mentioned. "Kendra, who will write the song if you leave?!"

Krit stood and brushed himself off. It was then that Alec's suspicious were confirmed by the black barcode on the nape of his neck. Krit was an X-series. Alec backed against the wall—a crumbling, molding wall for that matter—in alarm. An X-series could rip him to pieces, although the only murders in Le Diable were by normal humans—Ordinaries, as they were called.

The giant dog-man's cries faded down the hall, but he soon returned with a scowl on his giant dogface. Alec gulped. The face was absolutely horrifying, although Alec was pretty sure it wasn't on purpose.

"Now who will write the song?" howled the giant dog-man, throwing his arms in the air in exasperation.

"It's okay, Joshua, we'll find someone," said Krit, finally revealing the giant dog-man's true name.

'Twas a shame, however, for youthful Alec had become fond of thinking of 'Joshua' as the giant dog-man.

"Where, Krit?" asked Joshua, hanging his head and whimpering like a normal hound.

Krit scratched his chin and shrugged, but then two more people appeared in Alec's doorway—a raunchy looking blonde woman and a tall, intimidating blonde man. Well, the man would've been intimidating had he not been wearing leopard-spotted pants and a purple shirt—but that's another matter.

"Zack! Syl! Kendra walked out on us!" cried Krit.

Alec was becoming a bit nervous that these people were having a conversation right in the middle of his living room, giving no regards to him whatsoever.

"I told you to hold the rope, Zack!" cried the raunchy blonde, Syl, smacking the rather feminine-looking Zack on the shoulder.

Zack made a sad face and his shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry."

"Now what are we gonna do?" asked Syl, studying her shiny black fingernails.

"We'll make up our own song!" suggested Krit. He jumped onto Alec's only coffee table and held his hand into the air as he broke into a horribly off-tune song:

"High above the mucky-muck, castle made of clouds, there sits wonderful boy, sitting oh so proudly. Not much to say when you're high above the mucky-muck. Yeah, yeah! Wonderboy… what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now?"

He jumped off the table.

"Now it's time for me to tell you about young Nastyman, archrival and nemesis of Wonderboy, with powers comparable to Wonderboy! What powers you ask? How about the power of flight? That do anything for you? It's levitation, Holmes. How about the power to kill a yak from two-hundred yards away… with MIND BULLETS?! That's telekinesis, Joshie. How about the power… to move you?" (1)

At this point, unable to stand anymore, the raunchy blonde smacked Krit across the face and grabbed him by the collar. "Shut. Up," she said, her eyes burning with rage.

Krit made a face like a deer in headlights as Syl tossed him aside and stared out the broken window.

"We have got to find someone to write a song for us!" she said, shaking her head. "But who?"

"I write poetry," said Alec, quietly.

As if to cover him up, all the people in the room began talking at once.

"Lalalala!" said Krit, only to receive a swift kick in the ass from Syl.

"Maybe we could hire another professional!" suggested Zack, hands on hips.

"No money," said Joshua.

"Where did she leave off?" asked Syl.

"Something about answering the phone," replied Krit, thinking.

"Maybe we could-"

"No that's a bad idea how about-"

"We should all think together!"

"Answer the phone really quickly!"

Alec covered his ears to shut out their rambling, and suddenly inspiration struck. First his head, leaving him with a horrible headache, then it left through his mouth—

"Answer the phone! I know that you're home. I wanna get you alone and do it again, do it again. Answer the phone! I know that you're home. I wanna get you alone and do it again, do it again. The signal's all a-flashing red. It doesn't matter what was said. This bed is much too big without me and you. This all seems to ridiculous! Why can't we just get over this? Don't make me say the obvious without you!" (2)

Suddenly, all movement in the room stopped. The four transgenics turned, their necks almost audibly creaking, and gave Alec a strange look.

"That's brilliant!" said Syl, hitting Alec on the back hard enough to knock the wind out of him.

"Joshua likes it!" cried the giant dog-man, shaking Alec's hand so rigorously that it left his muscles slightly strained.

"You're a genius! Will you work for us?!" asked Krit as he broke into an unnaturally huge smile.

"I—uh… Write a song for the Transgen Rouge? Are you serious?" asked Alec, who was suddenly overcome by a wave of homesickness. "I guess… I mean, if you really think—"

"YES! He'll do it! Didja hear that? He'll help us!" shouted Zack, clapping his manicured hands.

"Get some of your best work and bring it upstairs! We're going to take you to the Transgen Rouge tonight!" said Krit.

And then, as soon as they had come, they were gone, leaving Alec to catch his breath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alec did as he was told and brought some of his best poetry to their apartment. When he knocked on the door they abruptly swung it open and dragged him in. The next thing he knew he was only in his boxers and Syl was measuring a suit on him.

"Let's see… you're just about Zack's size… maybe a little bigger." She grabbed his crotch, causing him to jump in surprise and feel suddenly out-of-breath. "You'll fit."

"Th-thanks," Alec stuttered, accepting the suit.

He put it on and Krit, Joshua, and Zack emerged from places unknown—also wearing suits. Krit was also sporting a bowled hat, but that's another story.

It was this night that Alec got his first taste of the new drink called Indifference. The stuff was strong enough to burn the fur off of Joshua's arms and it worked instantly. Soon they were all swooning and seeing the infamous Blue Lady flying around, singing crazy songs:

"Welcome we love you we hate you we love we want you we need you we wish we were like you. They say you're a saint you're a whore you're a sinner that he had you, made you, can't live without you. Would you confess if we asked that you nurture the urge to settle down with a man of you own—you want a baby, a family, a piece of security.

"Shut your mouth! Try not to panic! Just shut your mouth, if you can do it! Just shut your mouth!" (3)

Inevitably, Alec found himself singing along with the Blue Lady, who fluttered around like a butterfly. They danced outside the apartment building, across the street, and into the infamous Transgen Rouge.

TBC…

1) Wonderboy by Tenacious D

2) Answer the Phone by Sugar Ray

3) Shut Your Mouth by Garbage


	3. Whatchya Got?

Disclaimer: See Part 1

Summary: The Transgen Rouge! The underworld of the twenty-first century! And right in the middle of it, young, naïve Alec.

The Transgen Rouge 

By

Brin 

"Voulez vous coucher avec moi? Ce soir?" _Will you come lay with me? Tonight?_ "Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, flow sister. Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, flow sister." –Diamond Dogs, "Moulin Rouge"

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Chapter 2: Whatcha Got?

Alec wasn't sure what he was expecting when he stepped into the Transgen Rouge… but what he got was mind-blowing! Bright lights, scantily-clad dancers, men in suits shouting and laughing like drunken idiots! Blaring music, bottles of liquor lining an entire wall, alcohol being inhaled like water! As he and his newfound friends took a seat, the dance floor cleared and the music stopped as the dancers disappeared into the secretive depths of the Transgen Rouge one by one. The crowd moaned in misery; their call for the dancers to return.

They soon got their wish as the music started again in a quick, upbeat tune. The panels in the walls opened up and the dancers returned, wearing different outfits. The basic outfit was a bikini top and pants, but the colors were wild and eye-catching. The dancers sauntered onto the dance floor, doing what they were paid to do—dance.

_"Everybody listenin' I wanna see you dance! I don't think you heard me, I wanna see you dance! Get up and dance! Get up and dance!"_

Alec watched as Krit and Zack moved onto the floor, quickly finding dance partners.

_"Sweetie pie, I think it's your lucky night. I'm getting' buck-wild tonight. I'm gonna have fun, fun, fun, fun, fun! Sweetie pie, I think it's your lucky night. I'm getting' buck-wild tonight. I'm gonna have fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!"_

Alec's emerald green eyes widened as one of the dancers ripped off Zack's shirt and proceeded to wrap her legs around him, kissing his chest as another, taller dancer was having a tongue duel with him. Krit's situation was much the same, but he had three girls hanging on him like bunnies.

_"The girls just wanna have fun it's alright. Ladies gonna get the job done it's alright. All we need is peace and love it's alright. Spotted me a sexy daddy-daddy-daddy."_

By now Jondy had moved onto the floor and had picked out a partner of her own… or four.

_"If you do not like me so what? It's alright. Still gonna have a good time, it's alright. I got my people here with me tonight, it's all right. Spotted me my baby's father-father."_

Alec resisted the urge to cover his eyes as the dancing got more intense. Some of the girls wriggled their fingers at him, but he was frozen to the spot in shock. Krit's dancers had lost their tops in the last few minutes, Zack was on the brink of losing his pants—literally, and Jondy was sandwiched between four or five men—it was hard to tell.

_"It's the weekend and it's time for freakin. Let's dance, let's dance. I'm getting buck wild tonight. So today is your lucky night. Let's dance, dance, dance, dance, dance! Sweetie pie, I think it's your lucky night. I'm getting buck wild tonight. I'm gonna have fun, fun, fun, fun, fun! Spotted me my sexy daddy-daddy-daddy. Spotted me my sexy daddy-daddy-daddy. Spotted me my sexy daddy-daddy-daddy. SEXY DADDY!" (1)_

And with a burst of light, the song was over. The dancing stopped and everyone moved back to their respective spots to take a breather as if nothing had happened.

"You missed a lot of fun," said Zack, wiping the lipstick from his mouth and putting his shirt back on.

Alec was about to reply, but then the lights went off and a single spotlight shined on a trapeze-like swing, where a beautiful woman sat. It was the first time Alec had seen the infamous Dark Angel. She was dressed in a sparkling silver outfit, looking like a glowing goddess. Everyone in the room grew very, very quiet and stared up at her. The music began, slowly at first, then picking up as the song progressed.

_"Under a lover's sky, I'm gonna be with you. And no one's gonna be around. If you think that you won't fall, well just wait until, 'til the sun goes down. Underneath the starlight, starlight, there's a magical feeling so right it will steal your heart tonight!"_ she sang, her voice clear and beautiful.

She was slowly lowered into the middle of the crowd, which parted as though she was royalty—and here, in the Transgen Rouge, she was.

_"You can try to resist, try to hide from my kiss. But you know, but you know that you can't fight the moonlight!"_ she continued, jumping from her perch and strutting and dancing through the room. The crowd began singing with her, _"Deep in the dark you'll surrender your heart! But you know, you know that you can't fight the moonlight! No, you can't fight it! It's gonna get to your heart!"_ Here, the Dark Angel ripped the top of her outfit off, making it MUCH lower on her chest. She tossed the cloth into the crowd and a fight broke out over who got it. _"There's no escaping love once a gentle breeze sweeps it's spell upon your heart! And no matter what you think, it won't be too long 'till you're in my arms."_

Krit hit Alec on the back with enough force to knock him out of the booth. "I've arranged a meeting with you and Maxine tonight—alone."

"Alone?!" cried Alec, surprised. "What do you mean, 'alone'?"

"I mean totally and completely, just the two of you, alone!" said Krit, grinning. "Don't worry about it. Word is her bark is worse than her bite…" He stopped and frowned. "Or was it the other way around…?"

Alec gulped, then looked back at Maxine and his heart skipped two beats. Alone? With _her?_

_"Don't try you're never gonna win! Underneath the starlight, starlight there's a magical feeling so right! It will steal your heart tonight! You can try to resist, try to hide from my kiss. But you know, but you know, you can't fight the moonlight!" (2)_ Maxine sang, along with the crowd. She then jumped into the air and allowed the crowd to hold her above their heads. "Tell 'em, Normal!" she yelled.

Then, a man wearing a top hat jumped out from behind a door and began to sing, _"If work's an awful bore, and living's just a chose… What to do? 'Cause death's not that much fun. I've got just the antidote. And though I mustn't gloat… at the Transgen Rouge you'll have fun!"_

Maxine danced over to him and started dancing with him, but it wasn't nearly as intense as her dancing with the customers. "So has the investor come?" she asked quietly.

"Of course. I've arranged a private meeting between the two of you tonight," replied Normal, smiling at the crowd.

"Which one is he?"

Normal looked over and saw his richest benefactor—Logan Cale—receiving a lap dance from a dancer named Kiki. "The one dancing with Kiki!" Normal whispered.

By the time Maxine got around to looking, however, Kiki had moved over to Alec and was busily disheveling his hair. Maxine squinted at him. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, yes," said Normal, not bothering to look again. "He likes a woman who takes charge, so you know what to do."

"Right," replied Maxine before going back to the crowd. She danced her way through the men as they pinched, poked, and prodded her until she reached Alec. Kiki moved out of the way and Maxine wriggled her finger at him. "Dance with me, hot boy."

Alec's mouth dropped in shock.

Maxine poked out her bottom lip in mock-hurt and turned to the ground, whimpering like a puppy dog.

"Aww!" responded the crowd. "Max-ine! Max-ine! Max-ine!"

"Go! Go!" urged Jondy, pushing Alec out of the booth.

Alarmed, Alec nervously followed Maxine as she danced around. She led him to the middle of the dance floor, shimmying her hips to the music and running her hands along her curvaceous body.

"Mmm, come on, hot boy," she whispers heatedly, pulling him to her and wrapping one leg around his waist pointedly. "It's so wonderful for you to be interested in our show."

"Well, it sounds really exciting," he replied, looking anywhere but Maxine. "I'd be delighted to be involved."

Maxine made a surprised face. "Wonderful!"

He looked around at the other dancers and their partners and tries to fit in. His moves were a bit late, but they fit well enough.

"Krit said we could, you know, do it in private later."

Maxine grinned rakishly at him. "Really?"

"Yeah… you know… a private… review."

"Mm, I love a little reviewing after supper," she replied, licking his ear. She then danced away from him to jump back onto the trapeze swing. "Let your hair down! Take off your hats! This is the Transgen Rouge! We're having _fun!"_

The trapeze started moving upwards again, spinning 'round and 'round over the heads of the crowd.

_"Boys!"_ she sang, along with the Nymphs.

_"Girls!"_ replied the crowd.

_"Boys! Sometimes a girl just needs one,"_ Maxine sang alone. _"And when a girl is with one… then she's in control!"_

_"Girls! I can't speak for no one… But I need one all the time. Girls! I don't know 'bout your girl… Girls!"_ the crowd sang back, dancing around her in circles.

_"Boys! Then she's in control…"_

_"Girls! I can't speak for no one…"_

_"Boys!"_

_"Girls!"_

_"Boys!"_

_"Girls!" (3)_

The crowd then waited in anticipation for Maxine to reply with a last, resounding "Boys!" but she suddenly looked very tired and pale. They cheered and hooted, waiting for their grand finale, but suddenly Maxine fell backwards, hurtling towards the ground.

Luckily, Sketchy was there to catch her. He looked up at Normal for instruction.

Normal, worry etched all over his face, nodded his head towards Maxine's dressing room, watching carefully as Sketchy carried her off.

"What happened?" asked Alec worriedly.

"Nothing," replied Krit. "That just happens sometimes."

In Maxine's dressing room, Sketchy put her down on a sun bed and stepped back as the Transgen Rouge doctor, Dr. Shankar, approached. She took Maxine's pulse and felt her forehead, then checked her eyes. "Her eyes are dilated and she's running a slight fever."

Then, Maxine woke up, coughing and sputtering. "Get…get me a joint!" she ordered, greening a bit.

Dr. Shankar shook her head. "Maxine, this is getting way out of hand. You're not sleeping, not eating, and smoking. You're going to kill yourself, Maxine."

"Save me the drama," snapped Maxine, snatching a joint from Sketchy's pocket and lighting it. A look of relief washed over her face as she smoked it.

"Maxine, I'm serious. Keep this up and you'll be dead," warned Dr. Shankar.

"Yeah, yeah." Maxine waved her away.

"Maxine! Maxine, are you okay?!" yelled Normal, bursting into the room.

"Fine," she replied.

"Good! It's bad for business when you do that, ya know? You need to get back to work, crustacean!" He referred to Sketchy. "Bip, bip, bip! Maxine, you've done your dance for tonight, but we're depending on you to get Mr. Cale's sponsorship, ok?"

Maxine nodded. "I'll clean myself and head up to the Elephant. Tell him to meet me there at midnight, ok?"

Normal sighed in relief. "Thank you, Maxine! And remember… he likes women who take charge, so don't disappoint us."

"Yes, Normal."

TBC…

Sexy Daddy – Destiny's child

Can't Fight the Moonlight – LeAnn Rhymes

Boys Co-Ed Remix – Britney Spears ft. Fabulus


End file.
